The Past is Present
by amelina
Summary: Diane's ex needs her help when he is accused of a 30 year murder. A bunch of OCs, some flash backs and Kurt will show up eventually (chapter 6).
1. Chapter 1

"When was the last time you got laid?"

Diane tried not to choke on her salmon and just stared at Olivia for a moment. They had been best friends since college and today, like many times over the past several decades Diane was questioning why. "Do you have to be so crude?"

"That long huh?" Olivia laughed. "And that wasn't crude. If I wanted to be crude I'd ask who the last person to fu"

"I'm fine." Diane cut her off. "It hasn't been that long. What about you, are you dating anyone?"

Olivia lifted her left hand and wiggled her fingers. "I'm married." She laughed when Diane raised her brow. "Touche. But I actually like this one. I'm totally exclusive."

"Well fifth times the charm I suppose."

"What can I say, I like wedding." Olivia shrugged. "We can't all leave men at the alter."

"I didn't leave him at the alter." Diane sighed, before a slow smile spread across her face. "I broke up with him three days before the wedding."

"Much classier." Olivia laughed sipping her wine.

"What made you bring that up? I haven't thought about Douglas in years."

"He's looking for a condo. It seems his marriage is over and she kicked him out. His price range is impressive. You missed the boat on that one."

"I think I've done fine on my own." Diane said rolling her eyes. She looked at her watch and smirked. "I'm impressed you made it thirty-two minutes before bringing it up. That's so unlike you. Are you his agent?"

"No, but I saw him in the hallway. He looks good. He has all his hair. I got the dirt on him. Want to know more?" Olivia titled her head slightly. "If you say no, I'll keep asking about your sex life."

"You don't play fair."

"My best friend is a lawyer." Olivia shrugged. "So. He's a surgeon. And a respected one. I goggled him. He's won awards and shit. He's on wife number two, a nurse. She's about 12 years old. I have no idea why it didn't last. He has a son from his first marriage who is in law school. And the 12 year old popped out a daughter 8 months ago."

"Fascinating." Diane sighed.

"Do you want his number?"

"No!"

"Why not? It would be like a movie. Getting back together after all these years. He could be your soul mate. It would be so romantic."

"How much wine did you have before I got here? If you're not drunk you're insane." Diane laughed grabbing her purse. "You didn't even like him. Why would you want me to call him? Don't answer that, I have to get back to work."

"Are you happy with your townhouse? There is a three bedroom for sale in Highland Park."

"I'll pass."

"Okay." Olivia smiled. "But lunch is on me. We talked real estate, I can write it off."

Diane shook her head and laughed, "I'm not helping you if the IRS comes after you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was sitting in her office when she got back to the office.

"I'm sorry Miss Lockhart, he insisted on waiting." Maxie said when Diane froze outside her office. "He said you were friends and would want to see him."

"It's fine." Diane said forcing a smile for her assistant. She straightened her posture and entered her office. "Were your ears burning?"

"Hello Diane." Douglas said not bothering to turn to face her "Been awhile."

"Yes." She agreed taking a seat at her desk. "I was just at lunch with Olivia, she mentioned seeing you. And now you're here. What's going on?"

"I'm impressed you can still put up with Olivia. But you were always patient." He looked around the office and smiled. "Impressive. Your own firm. Looks like you got everything you wanted."

Diane shrugged her shoulders, but remained silent, waiting for him to mention why he was in her office.

"I'm happy for you. You always knew what you wanted out of life. I'm happy for you." He repeated. "Even though what you wanted wasn't me."

Diane shifted in her seat slightly. "What brings you to my office. I doubt you came to catch up."

"I would love to." Douglas smiled. "But no, I do have other motives. Ah! Motive. I need a lawyer."

"And why not me?"

"Well you're one of the best aren't you? You have quite the reputation in town."

Diane smiled slightly. "Since when do you believe everything you hear?"

"Oh, I try not to. I know from experience it's not always true."

"Why do you need a lawyer?"

"Well Miss Lockhart, it is still Miss right?" He asked, chuckling when she just raised her brow at him. "My soon to be ex-wife is threatening to accuse me of murder."

"Murder?" Diane asked not bothering to hide her surprise.

"Erik Thompson's"

_**Fall 1976**_

"What are you doing?" Olivia demanded bursting into Diane's room.

"Go away, I'm studying. I have an exam tomorrow. Find someone else to smoke with you."

Olivia grabbed Diane's book and tossed it on the floor. "Erik Thompson is dead. They think he was murdered."

"Dead? What do you mean?"

"I mean dead, no longer alive." She made a gun motion with her fingers. "Shot. Right in the heart." Olivia flopped onto Diane's bed. "I can't believe it. When he went missing I thought he was going to show up laughing about some week long party he had gone to."

"Dead?" Diane asked her eyes filling with tears. "Erik's dead? You're sure it was him?"

"I didn't see the body or anything, but yeah, it was him."

Diane tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like a giant anvil had been dropped on her chest. "Tell me what happened?"

"Well, from what I recall, Erik went to a party with you and your idiot boyfriend showed up all drunk and screamed "I'll kill you" in front of half the campus and now Erik is dead."

_**Present Day**_

"How does she even know about Erik?" Diane asked shifting in her chair. "Was she even alive when he died?"

Douglas smiled. "I see you've looked me up too."

"Olivia filled me in."

"No, she was not alive. But she did go to my thirty year reunion with me. It was dreadful. Skip yours. There was an inmemorium for everyone who died. Depressing. How's you heart? There was a lot of cardiac arrest in the slideshow, Do you have a regular checkups?"

"Jesus." Diane muttered.

"Fine." Douglas chuckled. "There was a tribute to Erik. People started to whisper, I got a lot of angry glaneses. I told her the story."

"What story did you tell her?"

"The true one. I didn't like him, we fought, he died, I didn't do it."

"So why is she accusing you of murder?"

Douglas leaned forward looking Diane in the eye, He smiled when she moved her head, breaking their locked gaze, "Because she's a money hungry bitch. She'll ruin my career if people think I murdered someone and she knows it. Even if the police don't believe her and call it a bad robbery I won't be able shake it off."

"Is it a coincidence Olivia saw you at her office and now you're in mine?"

"Well it's all connected to my divorce, but yes. The realtor was referred to me. I had no idea she worked there. I assumed she'd marry rich and spend her days at the mall, not working." He smiled when he saw Diane was trying not to laugh. "And I came here because I need a good lawyer to stop this before it happens. And you're good. And you were there. And despite all the choice words you had for me when you dumped me, you always knew I was innocent."

"Hmm." Diane nodded. "I can't be your lawyer." She picked up her phone and quickly dialed Will's extension. "Will you please come to my office when you have a moment." She asked when he picked up. "I might have a case for you."

"I'll be right there."

"My partner, Will Gardner will see you." Diane said hanging up the phone. "He'll be a better fit for this."

"Oh. So I read even that wrong?"

"Read what wrong?"

"That you thought I was innocent. Is that what it was, deep down you thought I was guilty?"

"No." Diane sighed. "I never thought you had anything to do with Erik's death. I think he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Hmm." Douglas nodded. "I don't know what is worse. Being dumped after being wrongly accused of murder or just because of my personality."

"I's not going to work." Diane smiled. "I'm not going to feel sorry for you. You and I both know we shouldn't have gotten married. One of us would have had to change and would have been miserable." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I can't take the case because I'm too connected to it. It wouldn't help you."

"Will you have dinner with me?"

"What?" Diane laughed waving Will in. "Of course not." She rolled her eyes. "Will Gardner, this is Dr. Douglas Bates. He needs your help."

"Nice to meet you." Douglas said shaving Will's hand. "I'm sorry she's pawning me off on you. I'm getting used to it."

"Sop it." Diane said shaking her head when Will looked at her. "When I was in law school someone on campus was murdered. Dr Bates' wife is divorcing him and threatening to go to the press saying he committed the murder."

"It's still an open case?" Will asked.

"No one was ever charged." Douglas said. "She has no evidence. But she doesn't care. I'm up for a very prestigious award. If I win the grant money will help me save endless lives. If there is talk I am a murderer…"

Will nodded. "I get it."

"Thank you." Douglas said reaching for his jacket. "I need to get to the hospital. I'll be in touch."

"Okay." Will nodded. "Diane has you contact information?"

"She knows how to reach me."

"No I don't." Diane said, blushing slightly.

Douglas winked and put his card on her desk. "Good afternoon Miss Lockhart. I will see you later."

"What was that?" Will laughed as they watched Douglas walk away.

"Long story." Diane sighed.

"So you knew him in college? Did you date?"

"You could say that." Diane shrugged. She laughed when Will just stared at her. "I almost married him." 


	2. Chapter 2

_**1977**_

"You look beautiful! Just stand up straight."

Diane glanced down at her mother than back at her reflection. The wedding gown as shockingly white. Tradition or not, white was not her colour. And there was so much fabric around her shoulders. "I look like a football player." She frowned. "It's so puffy. I'm so wide."

"What are you talking about? You look perfect. The dress was made specially for you, with all your preferences."

"When have I ever worn this much lace?" Diane asked staring at her reflection. "And it's so, white. These are your preferences. All of this is your preference."

"Okay." Her mother sighed adjusting the bottom of the gown. "You have jitters. I get it. Let it all out. Tell me all about how I'm again ruining your life."

Diane rolled her eyes. "You're not ruining my life."

"Oh Diane, you know how I feel about you rolling your eyes."

"Well don't worry, I'll be married to a doctor by the end of the week. He'll know what to do if they get stuck."

"I hope Douglas finds you funny."

Diane remained silent and looked back at her reflection. She has always enjoyed dressing up, but at this moment she had never been more uncomfortable. Her hair was six inches longer than she preferred it to be. Her mother insisting it be curled and piled on top of her head, unnecessarily adding to her height. There was lace everywhere, and so much fabric at her shoulders. And her lips, they were pink. Like candy. It was almost worse than the lace and puffy shoulders.

"I don't think the makeup is right." Diane said finally. "Maybe something darker, less pink. A red lip."

"It's your wedding day Diane. Why on Earth would you want to dress like a whore?"

/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/

"Nice hair." James laughed when Diane walked into her dorm room.

"Did you have a wedding thing?" Olivia asked coming out of her room . "Why didn't you tell me? I'm your maid of honor. I am suppose to be at these things."

"I didn't know about it either." Diane sighed sitting down on the couch beside her brother. She slowly started pulling the pins of her hair, making a small pile on the arm of the battered couch.

"It's because mother doesn't like you." James said smiling at Olivia.

Olivia looked at Diane to protest but she just shrugged. "I don't think she likes me either." Diane said still trying to free her hair.

"Of course she does." James said patting his sister's knee. "You're letting her dress you up with a Princess and play wedding. She's been dreaming about this for twenty-four years. She's in Heaven. You even got the right groom. Dr. Perfect Teeth. You are the favourite Lockhart Twin right now."

"Lucky me."

"Don't worry, you'll disappoint her when you continue with law school instead of having a gaggle of children right away. Then I can sweep in with a respectable bride and regain my top spot. At least till she has to tell people I'm a literature teacher. She always looks like she's about to have a stroke when she says literature."

"What are you even doing here?" Diane asked shaking out her hair. Her honey locks falling well past her shoulders.

"I was out of beer. And I knew olive over there would have some."

"I want one." Diane said getting up. "Or maybe the whole case,"

"You're being really dramatic right now. "Olivia laughed. "That's my job, you're suppose to be the responsible one."

"I know." Diane said reentering the room with a beer in her hand. "I'm Diane Lockhart. I'm suppose to go to law school, marry a doctor, have 2-4 children, one son one daughter, become a Senator, be a doctor's wife. It's a hard plan to follow."

"Ignore the plan." James said. "You're going to disappoint one of them. Might as well be happy while you're doing it."

"Well I'm already in law school." Diane said sipping her beer. "And I have to get married."

"Have to get married?" Olivia laughed. "Don't you mean you want to get married?"

"Sure."

"Sure?" James said leaning forward at the sound of doubt in his sister's voice. He had never been the biggest supporter of this wedding. He couldn't say he would be upset if Diane did no go through with it. "That's not very convincing. Do you not want to marry Dr. Perfect Teeth?"

"The wedding is this weekend."

"Right." James nodded. "You should totally marry the most boring man in the world so you don't inconvenience people's weekend plans."

"He's not boring." Diane said, glaring at Olivia when she snorted.

"He spent an hour explaining the rules of Extra Monopoly to me." James sighed. "It should have taken two minutes, you add an extra game board. So you make Monopoly even longer and more dull."

"I hate that game." Diane laughed. "But he's a nice guy. He's funny. He's going to be a good doctor. He'll be a really great dad."

"I've known you our entire life. I don't recall a time you have wanted kids."

"I like kids."

"Enough to stay home from work to take care of them?" James pressed. "Or is Dougie okay with a nanny raising your precious children?"

"It will be different when they are my own kids." Diane sighed, for some reason she found herself sweating. She looked over at Olivia for help.

"Don't except me to get you out if this." Olivia said holding up her hands. "But if you need help getting out of town on Saturday, I'm your girl."

"Close your eyes." James said. He narrowed his gaze at Diane until she sighed and closed her eyes. "Picture it, you're in a fancy house, you're getting all dressed up for a fancy party for some made up charity. Your children wake up from a bad dream crying. But they don't want you, they want their nanny. Guests have started to arrive, so you have to make it seems like you're maternal."

Diane opened her eyes. "God, I'm Mom."

James laughed. "More or less."

Dian sighed and glanced down, her eyes locking on the scissors on the side table. They were part of some sewing project Olivia had been working on, but they were sharp. They would work. Before she could second guess herself Diane grabbed the scissors and cut off a hunk of her hair.

"What the hell are you doing?" Olivia asked jumping up.

"I want short hair."

"Give me those." Olivia said grabbing the scissors. "You'll never get it even in the back."

/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/

"What happened to you hair?" Douglas asked opening his door.

"I cut it." Diane said walking past him. She looked around the apartment she would be living in full time after Saturday. It was neat. Everything had it's place and it's purpose. Then there was her dorm, where Olivia always had an art project on the go to make their cluttered room more festive. She stopped in the living room and looked at Douglas. "I want to be a lawyer."

"Um, okay?"

"And I don't really like children. I means they're okay most of the time. They're sticky though. All the time. They have stuff on their face. It's weird. And they whine. A lot."

"Sit down" Douglas sighed.

"No. I'm fine. I don't like lace. And I like red lipstick. And I like the law. I really like the law. I want to be a lawyer."

"You already said that."

"Yeah." Diane nodded. She ran her hand through her hair, smiling at the new shortness of it. "I don't want to be at home with crying sticky children while you're working late at the hospital saving lives and doing what you love. I want to be working late too. I don't care about charity teas, or keeping the maid in line. I don't want to be my mother."

"You want to be your father?"

She shook her head and smiled slightly. "I want to be Diane Lockhart."

"Where is all this coming from?" Douglas asked stepping towards her. He frowned she took a step back. "Are you just getting nervous?"

She was nervous she was heading towards a life that would make her miserable. But that seemed cruel to say out loud. "I saw myself today and there was just so much lace."

"Would you stop talking about lace." Douglas said, trying not to raise his voice.

"I hate lace! That's what I am trying to say." She walked towards the couch running her fingers along the top. It was expensive, but not very comfortable. And white. Just like her wedding dress Diane though chuckling slightly under her breath.

"You're not making any sense."

Diane moved over to the fireplace. There were expensive fire pokers proudly displayed. There were just like new. Diane doubted Douglas even knew how to light his own fire. She turned and looked at him, tilting her head slightly. "Do you even like me?"

"What? Of course I do. I love you."

"No." Diane said shaking her head. "Not love. Like. Why on Earth would you like me? You don't like my brother or my best friend. We don't like the same music. I drink more than you like. I am bossy. What do we have in common? You like football and skiing."

"You like skiing." He cut her off. "We went last winter."

"I liked after skiing, when we drank by the fire. But when have I ever expressed an interest in physical activity?" She rolled her eyes when he smirked at her. "That's not what I meant. I'm being serious."

"Right." Douglas nodded. "You seriously like the law and hate lace."

"Yes. You're mocking me, but yes."

"So?"

"So." Diane nodded. "Good question. What do we do?"

"I honestly have no idea what is going on."

Diane stepped closer to him. "Do you want me to be your wife or do you want someone that will wear lace?"

"I don't give a fuck what you wear." Douglas said no longer stopping his voice from raising.

"It's a damn metaphor." Diane sighed. "I'm going to be a lawyer. I'm not going to be a doctor's wife that throws parties for some fundraiser no one can remember and raises a house full of children." She exhaled slowly. "I think we should postpone the wedding."

"Postpone the wedding?" Douglas sighed. "Will you please sit down and calm down so we can have a rational conversation."

"I am calm. And we need to have a rational conversation. That's why we should postpone the wedding. We need a plan."

"We have a plan. We're getting married on Saturday."

"And then what?"

"And then we'll be be married."

Diane smiled slightly, trying not to laugh. "Yep. Good plan."

"What do you want me to say Diane? I want to marry you. I want to have a life with you. I want to have sticky whiny children with you. If you want to work in a law office, fine ."

"Work in a law office?"

"At first, yeah."

"Hmmm." Diane nodded. "And then fall in line and put on the lace."

"Would you stop talking about lace!"

"I think we should wait."

"No." Douglas said shaking his head. "No. I don't want to wait. If we don't get married on Saturday, we don't get married."

Diane stared at him for a moment. Then glanced back at the white uncomfortable couch, the unused fireplace, the three boxes of Monopoly under the tab and slowly nodded. "Okay."

"Okay." Douglas sighed. "And don't worry, you're nervous know, but by Saturday."

"No." Diane said slipping the ring off her left hand.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. Really." She said softly. She stepped towards him and placed the ring in his hand. She smiled slightly. "It's for the best. You'll see." She kissed him on the cheek, her hand still on his. "Goodbye."


	3. Chapter 3

"So are you going to tell me the story?" Will asked following Diane down the hallway.

"Of course I'm not."

"Why drag it out. You're going to tell me eventually." Will sighed. Diane smiled and shook her head as she pressed for the elevator. "I'll just get his side of the story. I'm his lawyer, he'll need to tell me"

"Get Rhiannon to help you." Diane said as the elevator opened.

"Why? So she'll fill you in on all the gossip?"

Diane just smiled as the elevate shut.

/\\\\\\\\/\\\\\\\\/\\\\\\\\

"What are you doing here?" Olivia asked as Diane walked into her office. She pushed a straw lock of her black hair behind her ear and frowned. She watched as her best friend paced her office. Running her hand along the leather chair in the corner, but not sitting. "What's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost."

"I might as well have." Diane sighed, finally sitting down.

"You're seriously not planning to just sit there in the corner being all dramatic and sullen and not tell me what's going on, do you?"

"I've never been sullen in my life." Diane said rolling her eyes. "Douglas Bates was in my office when I got back to work."

"Really? Why do you look so freaked out?" Olivia asked. She gasped as a slow smile spread across her face. "You slept with him?"

"Yes. Right there in my glass office. For everyone to see" Diane sighed. "HIs ex wife, or wife, whatever she is, is threatening to go public saying he killed Erik Thompson. He wanted me to be his lawyer."

"Why would she do that? Does she have evidence? Do you think he did it after all? Are you taking the case? Man, Erik. Poor guy."

"Of course he didn't do it." Diane said leaning back in the chair. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. "His ex is just bitter and wants to destroy his image."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?" Diane asked opening her eyes.

"I mean, why would she do that? She got her baby, she'll get child support, she can fight for alimony. Unless she has serious Daddy issues, I assume that was always the end game. Why be so mean?"

"You were mean to Christopher."

"Ah! But he deserved it. The bastard cheated on me."

"You cheated on him."

"Yes, but he didn't know that. All I'm saying is, there must be some reason she would accuse him of murder or all things."

Diane sighed and nodded slowly. "I have to get to court."

"We need to find out why Douglas' wife is saying he murdered Erik." Diane said walking into Will's office. "What is her end game, what does she want. Why not settle for custody and alimony?"

Will nodded. "Rhiannon just said the same thing."

"I'm going to go talk to her." Rhiannon smiled. "Call her bluff. Maybe it's an idle threat. She wants something."

"Okay good." Diane nodded.

Rhiannon shot a look to Will, who just shrugged. She smiled and grabbed her notebook, following Diane out to the hallway. "So?"

"I don't want to talk to about it."

"But you totally do." Rhiannon said following Diane into her office, which earned her an eye roll from her boss. "The man you almost married comes back into your life all these years later. Addressing a scandal you had tried to forget. This is exactly the thing someone wants to talk about."

Diane stared at the young lawyer sitting across from her and sighed. Rhiannon was staring back at her with a wide grin on her face waiting for details. She had worked at Lockhart/Gardner for the past three years. She had secured the job by offering to take a pay cut on the condition she could work closely with Diane. Over the years they had developed a bizarre, but close relationship. Rhiannon was a good lawyer and a fast learner. And Diane couldn't argue that it was hard not to like someone who idolized her. Rhiannon's mother had died when she was fifteen. And while Dane harbored no romantic notions regarding their relationship, she hoped if she had had a daughter she would be like Rhiannon.

"Didn't you tell Will to have me work on this, because you knew I have big mouth and will tell you all the gossip?" Rhiannon said finally breaking the staring contest. "Two way street. I need dirt too."

"I was engaged to marry him. But I broke it off."

"I already know that part." Rhiannon said rolling her eyes. "Why'd you break it off?"

"Because I didn't want to marry him. There is no juicy story. He asked me to marry him. I was young, it seemed like a good idea so I said yes. But the closer it got to the wedding the more I realized if I married him I would have the life I wanted. The life I ended up having. I wouldn't have this firm if I had married him."

Rhiannon nodded." That's a boring reason. But I guess if it was more dramatic you wouldn't be offering to help him now."

"I'm sorry it's not more dramatic." Diane smiled.

"There is still hope." Rhiannon smiled opening her notebook. "So, Erik Thompson went to a party, fought with Dr. Bates and was missing for three days before he was found in the woods by your off campus housing?"

"Yes."

"And before he went missing, you used to sleep with him?"

Diane started to protest, but Rhiannon shook her head, a small smile creeping across her lips. Diane sighed. "Yes."

"See, I told you there was still hope for drama. That's why people thought Dr Bates had something to do with the murder right? A big tragic love triangle."

"Yes. But that's not what happened."

"Right. The police ended up going with robbery gone bad." Rhiannon said looking at her notebook. She frowned slightly and looked back at Diane. "You buy that?"

"But that? Of course I do."

"Yeah." Rhiannon shrugged. "Makes sense. I would go with robber too, if the alternative was two guys fighting over me and one of them ending up dead."


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello?"

Rhiannon stepped back slightly when the door opened. The long legs, perfect hair and posture. Douglas clearly had a type. "Lauren Bates?"

"Yes." the blonde nodded. "But I'm not interested."

"Oh! I'm not selling anything." Rhiannon said looking down at her outfit with a frown. She was wearing a black Ralph Lauren pant suit. It was expensive. She shook her head slightly. "I'm Rhiannon McVeigh. I'm a lawyer. I work for your husband."

" in." Lauren said moving from the doorway. "Do you have stuff for me to sign?"

"No. I'm not here about the divorce. I'm here about Erik Thompson."

"Oh. Well then I think you should talk to my lawyer."

"I will. But I wanted to talk to you first. Why are you claiming Dr. Bates killed Mr Thompson."

"Because he did." Lauren shrugged. "He told me."

"He told you?"

"Yeah. He was drunk and crying. It was a mess. He said he didn't like the guy because he kept hitting on his girlfriend and he wouldn't leave her alone. They had a fight one night and Doug accidentally killed him."

"HmmMmm." Rhiannon nodded. "And when did he tell you this?"

"At this reunion. I don't know the exact date. About 10 months ago. I was almost due."

"Ten months ago. And I'm sorry, when did you and Dr. Bates separate?"

"Three months ago. But don't read to much into that. I didn't believe him at first. I didn't want to believe him. He was drunk, but I couldn't shake it." She tilted her head and looked at Rhiannon. "Do you have kids?"

"No."

"I don't want my daughter around murderer. I won't let it happen." Lauren sighed and brushed her hair behind her ear. "If you have more questions, please call my lawyer."

"Okay. But before I leave do you have a deal you'd like me to present my client?"

"What?"

"Well you haven't told anyone about this conversation have you? Would you like to blackmail Dr. Bates?"

"Please leave."

"She seemed to really believe he did it." Rhiannon said. "She just wants her daughter away from him."

"Okay." Will said leaning back in his chair. "Our best bet is to prove the cops were right. This was a robbery gone bad."

"Do you want me to get a time machine and go interview witnesses?"

"Yes." Will said. "That would be great. But until you find one get Kalinda to help you dig up everything you can. The more we have the better we can argue defamation."

"Okay." Rhiannon nodded. "Just a quick question, have you ever gotten really drunk and confessed to murder?"

"No." Will sighed.

"Yeah, me either."

"Hello."

Diane looked up from her computer and smiled. "Hello."

"I'm suppose to meet with your investigator." Douglas said entering the office. "Go over what I remember from when Erik died."

"Will mentioned you'd be stopping by. Do you want me to go find Kalinda?"

"No, I would like you to have dinner with me."

"Dinner?"

"Yes. I know it's been a long time, but I assumed you still ate."

"Yes, I do." Diane smiled. "I have plans." She was lying. She was still trying to reconcile her feelings of seeing Douglas again after all this time. He looked the same as he had years ago, his hair was greyer and there were more lines under his eyes. That was expected, it had been thirty years. But the high cheek bones, strong jaw and pose was all still there.

"So you only eat once a week?"

Diane resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll get back to you."

"Not a no." Douglas smiled. "It's weird, isn't it? ."

"Just a little." Diane nodded.

"I seem to remember you being chattier."

"Are you trying to bait me?" Diane smiled . "It won't work."

"I'll just have to try harder." Douglas said standing up. "You couldn't have changed that much."

"Did you own a gun?" Kalinda asked not looking up from her notes.

"No. I've never owned a gun."

"Ever shot one?" Kalinda asked looking up. Studying his face briefly.

"Once. At a shooting range. Years ago. I didn't like it."

Kalinda nodded and looked back down at her notes. "Did you not go to a lot of parties?"

"What?"

"The night Thompson died, it was a Saturday. But you told the police you were at the library. Is that normal? Were you not into parties?"

"I must have had a paper due or an exam. I don't remember. I was almost done med school. I spent a lot of time at the library. Missed some parties."

"Ok." Kalinda said writing in her notebook. She nodded. "Thank you."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Ok." Douglas sighed. "So do you like working for Diane?"

"Sure." Kalinda smirked. "But we're not going to have this conversation though." She closed her notebook. "I'll let you known when I have more questions."

"Kalinda is interesting."

"You don't know the half of it." Diane smiled.

"Ahem." Rhiannon coughed. Subtly was never one of her finer points. But the man, who she assumed was her new client had walked right past her to speak to Diane. And now, based on the look on his face he was planning on flirting. She would just leave them alone, but they were standing right by the elevators and she was waiting for someone.

Diane rolled her eyes. "This is Rhiannon McVeigh. She's working with Will on your case. This is Dr. Bates."

"Call me Douglas" He said holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." Rhiannon smiled shaking his hand. Douglas smiled at Rhiannon his eyes widening slightly. "Oh, you want me to leave. Right. Sorry."

"You don't need to leave." Diane said.

"I was actually coming to see if James was here yet." Rhiannon said as the elevator opened. "Oh look, he's here."

"What are you doing here?" Diane asked her brother stepped off the elevator.

"It's lovely to see you too." James smiled. He pointed at Rhiannon. "Protege asked me to come by. Needs me help on a big case." Rhiannon smiled and tilted her head towards Douglas.

"Hello James."

"Wow." James said. He looked back at Diane. "What's going on?'

"I'm yet again being accused of killing Erik Thompson. But Diane and Rihanna here are going to help me finally put this to rest."

"Rhiannon." She said. "Like the song."

"Excuse me?"

"My name. It's not Rihanna. It's Rhiannon. You know 'Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night.' Fleetwood Mac."

"Right. Sorry." Douglas nodded.

"It's okay." Rhiannon shrugged.

They groups stood silently in the foyer for a moment before James finally spoke. "Well now that we all have her named figured out, I think Protege has some questions for me."

"Protege?"

"Yeah. Miss McVeigh here is going to be the next Diane Lockhart, esquire." James said as Diane rolled her eyes. He held up two fingers and crossed them. "They're like this. You're in good hands."

"Ok. Why don't we go to my office before you start reciting my resume."

"See!" James laughed. "You even have the classic Lockhart eye roll down pat."

"Well it looks like you got everything you wanted after all." Douglas said smiling at Diane. "Big fancy law firm and a daughter, but without the mess of a baby. It's perfect."

Rhiannon cut her eyes at Douglas, but before she could say anything Diane shook her head. "Come on." James nudged her. "Let's go to your office."


	5. Chapter 5

_**1976**_

"Crap!" Diane said sitting up. She ran her hand through her hair and quickly got out of bed. "I'm late. And it's your fault."

"Have to go see your other boyfriend?" Erik laughed rolling onto his side.

"I have class in fifteen minutes." Diane said puling on her dress. She quickly scanned the room grabbing her text book off the floor and throwing it in her bag. "Where are my shoes?"

"I don't know. At the door?"

"This." Diane sighed pointing to the bed." Is why I told you I shouldn't come over. I'm going to be late for class. I'm never late for class. I'm never late for anything. And it's the class Jake teaches, so he'll rat me out to my Dad."

"You didn't seem like you were having a bad time."

"Shut up." Diane laughed. "I have to go."

"Will I see you this weekend or are you going to be with the doctor?"

"Um, I don't know." Diane said rushing towards the front of the apartment in search of her shoes. "I'll call you. I have to go."

"I know you're late." Erik called out from the bedroom. "Go."

_**Present Day**_

"I never thought I'd see him again." James sighed sitting down on the cushioned chair in Rhiannon's office. "I guess it's true, nothing stays in the past."

"I can't believe Diane was going to marry him." Rhiannon said leaning against her desk. "He seems so, dull. Like he irons his jeans and is obsessed with people using coasters. And what was with the daughter comment. He couldn't even get my name right." She sighed and moved around her desk to sit down. She frowned slightly as she twisted a curl around her index finger. "Diane must have really changed."

"Not that much." James said. "I always thought they were a weirdly matched couple."

"Do you think he's guilty?"

"Of murder? Nah. He has no sense of humor and didn't like to party. That 's why I didn't like him back then. I never thought he was a murderer. I wouldn't have let my sister even think of marrying him if I did."

"Hmm." Rhiannon nodded sitting up in her chair. She pulled up the time line she had started of Erik Thompson's disappearance and murder. "So from what I gather, the night before Erik died, there was a big bon fire and Douglas threatened to kill Erik. Were you there?"

"Yeah. Diane, Erik, Olivia, my girlfriend Sara and myself were all there together. And sure Douglas showed up and started running his mouth" James shook his head slightly recalling the night. "If you were there and took bets on who you thought would be murdered, 2-1 it would be Douglas not Erik. And Diane would have been the one to kill him."

_**1976**_

"What are we even protesting?" Olivia asked rubbing her hands together. She looked around before taking a quick sip from her flask. The whiskey warming her as it moved down her throat.

"I think someone just set something on fire and a crowd came." Diane laughed. "It's pretty though." She was watching the flames as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. The temperature had dropped about 5 degrees since the Sun had set. She should have brought a coat.

"Here." Erik said draping his jacket over Diane's shoulders.

"Thanks." Diane smiled.

"Oh, I'm going to be sick." Olivia said. "Why did I come here with couples?"

"Oh, we're not a couple." Erik said winking at Diane. "What did you call it? We have fun." He laughed when she scowled at him. "Don't make that face. You're the one who said it"

"I need to start having fun." Olivia sighed.

"Well give me your number pretty lady."

"Hey!" Diane said swatting Erik on the arm.

"What's going on here?" They all turned towards the voice and saw Douglas standing a few feet away glaring at the small group.

"Hey man." Erik said holding up his hands. "We're just hanging out by the fire. Have a good time. Come on over."

"I don't think Diane wants you so close to her." Douglas said moving to step in front of Diane. His gaze never leaving Erik. He stumbled slightly, but regained his compose quickly.

"It's fine." Diane sighed. "We all came together."

"I saw you hit him." Douglas said, slurring his words slightly.

"I was joking. It's fine. Maybe you should go." She touched his arm and lowered her voice slightly. "Have you been drinking?"

"Like you keep saying, it's fine." Douglas said pushing away Diane's hand. James quickly stepped in front of her. Smiling gently at Douglas.

"Hey man. Why don't we go back to residence. Sleep this off. We'll all have a good laugh tomorrow while we nurse our hang out overs." James continued to smile. "Come on. I'll walk back with you."

"I'm not drunk." Douglas insisted stepping back from James. "I just don't like being embarrassed."

"Me either." Diane said. "Yet here you are."

"I won't allow you to around him."

"Allow me?" Diane laughed. James looked back at her and shook his head. He knew it was a useless effort. But Diane arguing with Douglas was not going to make it easier to get him to leave. But he also knew Douglas acting as though he had a say in anything Diane did was not going to go over quietly with his sister.

"Hey man, we're just trying to have a fun night." Erik said. "There is a fire. Big group of people just having a good time. No fowl."

"Get away from me." Douglas said shoving Erik in the chest. Erik had at least fifty pound on him, so he didn't move much. The shove was more symbolic. "Get out of my face and stay the hell away from Diane or I'll kill you, you asshole."

"Excuse me?" Diane yelled.

"Hey, let's go home." Olivia said grabbing Dane's hand. Diane quickly shook her hand free. Olivia sighed. Nothing good was going to happen if they didn't leave. "Come on."

"No." Diane said shaking her head. "We came here to have fun. Let's have fun. All of us. Except you." She said glaring at Douglas. "Last time I checked, I didn't need to get permission to spend time with people."

"I get it." Douglas sighed. "You have to show everyone you're the big open minded liberal. You love everyone. And your nanny is black, and you love her, but that doesn't mean you need"

"Okay." James said putting his hand up. "Let's go walk it off."

"No." Diane said. "Let him finish, what were you going to say?" She moved her arm toward the crowd that had formed around them. "Everyone is listening."

"Let it go Diane." Erik said. "Please. Let your brother walk him home. He's drunk."

"I don't need _you_ to defend me."

"No man, I'm not." Erik said shaking his head. "You need a nice sleep. Some coffee. Sober up. Not the time or place man. I don't want to fight."

"Come on." Olivia said wrapping her arm around Diane. "Let's go."

"Fine." Diane sighed. She looked over at Douglas and shook her head slightly. "I never want to see you again." She looked him straight in the eyes. "You disgust me."

_**Present Day**___

"Huh." Rhiannon sighed. "So after all that Diane still agreed to marry him?"

"Yeah." James shrugged. "It was a while later, but yes. He was drunk, he ran his mouth. He apologized later. I don't think he's really racist. I think he just wanted to piss off Diane. And it worked."

Rhiannon bit her lip and stared at her computer monitor glancing at her notes so far. "I don't know. It's my experience when people are drunk they say things they really think, but know to filter when they're sober. Douglas is the opposite of that?"

"What, you think he's some secret racist/murderer?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Rhiannon shrugged. "I just met the guy."

"I never really liked him. If I'm being honest I was happy Diane never married him. But a murderer? No. I don't buy it."

"Okay. Good. That will make my job easier. He seems, I don't know. Off. I mean he got dumped by Diane, his first wife left him and now number two is accusing him of murder. There has to be something off about him."

"Olivia is on husband four."

"And there is definitely something off about her." Rhiannon laughed.

"What about Diane and me? We've never been married at all"

"Fine. Whatever. Being repeatedly dumped doesn't mean you have a huge character flaw. Happy?"

"Hey." Diane said leaning against the door frame of Rhiannon's office. "I hope he's not filling your head with horrible lies about me."

"Not yet." James winked. "So far just the horrible truth."

"I'll need to edit your notes." Diane laughed. "Douglas wanted to know if you'd like to have supper tonight. Catch up."

"You know that sounds wonderful" James nodded. "But, I um, I already made plans for us to have supper with Protege. And you know how she gets when you cancel plans on her."

"Oh." Diane smiled. "Okay. Another time. Where are we going?"

"My house." Rhiannon said. "My Dad will be in town."

"He won't mind that we're there?"

"No. He's pretty chill."

"Okay." Diane nodded. "I'll bring the wine. I'm looking forward to meeting your father."

"Thanks for playing along." James said as Diane disappeared down the hallway. "I needed a quick out. I didn't want to spend the night hearing about all the lives he has saved."

"No problem." Rhiannon smiled holding out her hand. "Give me your credit card. You're paying for dinner."


	6. Chapter 6

"It's nice to finally meet the famous Diane Lockhart." Kurt said with a smile. "I've heard all about you."

"Good." Rhiannon sighed dramatically flopping down on her couch. "Do you have any baby pictures to show her while you're at it?"

"Let me see." Kurt said reaching for his wallet.

"Do it and I'll put you in a home."

Diane leaned back and watched the Father/daughter bicker back and forth. It was nice to watch. As loud and and in your face as Rhiannon could be, her father was much more laid back and soft spoken. "It's nice to meet you too." Diane smiled. "Although, I'm sure I've been seriously over-hyped."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Kurt smiled back.

Rhiannon raised her brow at her father, but before she could question him there was a knock at the door. "Um, I'll get it." She said standing up glancing down at her father with a frown.

James smiled when Rhiannon opened the door and held up two large bags. "Food delivery."

"Thanks." Rhiannon said grabbing the bags. She gestured towards the living room. "That's my Dad, Kurt. Dad, this is Diane's brother James."

"Nice to meet you." Kurt nodded.

"Likewise." James smiled as Rhiannon disappeared into the kitchen. He moved into the living room and took a seat next to his sister. "So, you're the big ballistics expert?"

"I don't know about expert."

"Seems you get the Rhiannon hype too." Diane smiled. "She talks about you all the time."

"I'm sure she talks about me a lot too." James nodded. "What's the name for the brother of your mentor?"

"Oddly enough, I don't think there is a name for that." Rhiannon said re-entering the room with a glass of wine for James. She sat down on the arm of her couch. "Dad is going to take a look at the old files and see if he can get any information on the gun that shot Erik. Maybe we'll luck out and it will have been used in another robbery. Or we'll have bad luck and he'll think Douglas is guilty." She shrugged and nodded her head towards Kurt. "Morals."

"What?" Diane asked.

"Unlike my daughter, I won't assist on a case if I find the client is guilty."

"Really, you would just quit a case if you find the client is guilty. Even after doing all the work?"

Kurt shrugged. "Yeah."

"When I said I wanted to me a lawyer he really hoped I'd be more like Atticus Finch." Rhiannon said standing up. "Such a disappointment."

"I taught Harper Lee and Capote last semester." James said as Diane furrowed her brow and shook her head at her brother. "What?"

"I'm just not held to the same rules lawyers are."

"It's very." Diane paused. "Noble."

"Yeah." Kurt smirked. "That's me."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I don't think either of them knew I was even out there." James said jointing Rhiannon in the kitchen. "Or at dinner."

"Did Diane just giggle?" Rhiannon asked looking back at the living room. She frowned slightly. "I didn't know she knew how to do that."

"They were debating immigration reform when I left."

Rhiannon bit her lip as she watched Diane lean forward and touch her Dad's knee as she laughed. "She's totally going to sleep with my Dad."

"I wouldn't say totally."

"Thanks." Rhiannon sighed. She picked up her glass and finished her wine in one sip. She pushed a ringlet behind her ear. "Oh well. I was running out things to talk to my therapist about. This should give me a few weeks of material."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kurt looked over at Rhiannon asleep on the couch next to him and smirked. "Somethings never change. She's never been able to stay up on a Friday. A whole week of waking up before noon finally takes its toll on her and knocks her out." He shook his head. "That probably falls into the embarrassing Dad story category."

"I won't tell her." Diane smiled.

"Thank you." Kurt nodded. "I managed to get through the evening with only three eye rolls. A personal record."

"I should go." Diane said standing up. "It was really nice to meet you. I guess I'll, I mean, well, I'll see you around."

"It was nice meeting you too." Kurt smiled. He glanced down as Diane's wine glass. "Do you need a ride?"

"Oh. No. I can take a cab."

"Nonsense. Let me give you a ride. I'm not going to just hang out here and watch my daughter sleep."

"Um." Diane said biting her lip slightly before nodding. "Okay, thank you."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I used to live down there." Kurt said pointing. "When Rhiannon was young. Once it was just the two of us we moved about an hour out. I've never really liked the city."

"No." Diane said shaking her head. "Of course you don't."

Kurt smiled slightly. "Are you always this sarcastic with people you've just met?"

"No. Not at all. I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be." Kurt said turning the corner. "I was just wondering if this was normal treatment."

Unsure how to reply Diane smiled but remained silent as Kurt turned onto her street. "It's the one after the big Oak tree." She said pointing. She fidgeted slightly in her seat. Was it implied that he could come in with her? He seemed like too much of a gentleman to just invite himself in, she would probably have to ask him in. When he pulled up to the curb and stopped the car, not even pulling into her driveway Diane tried not to frown. It looked as though he had made the decision for the both of them.

"Looks like you have company."

"What?" Diane asked. She looked towards her townhouse and realized why Kurt had stopped on the road. A white BMW was in her driveway. She looked past the car and realized Douglas was sitting on her front steps. "Dear lord."

"Do you need me to get rid of him."

Diane smiled at his concern. "No, it's okay. I can handle it." She reached for her purse. "Thank you for the ride."

"No problem. I'm sure I'll see you around."

Diane glanced at her front steps and sighed. "Yeah."

"Goodnight Diane."

"Goodnight." She smiled as she got out of the truck. She took a deep breathe and slowly started walking up her driveway. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you."

"I told you, I had plans." Diane said running her hand through her hair. "Not to mention neighbours. How long have you been out here?"

"Ten minutes, if that." Douglas shrugged. "I was going to leave just as you and your friend pulled up."

"Hmm." Diane nodded. "How did you know where I live?"

"I know how to use the internet. You gave me your phone number. I did a reverse search."

"It's pretty late."

"You don't need to worry Diane. I'm not stalking you. I was leaving the hospital, thought I'd see if you were home. Have a night cap. You loose touch with a lot of your old friends when you marry someone half your age. I can only spend so much time at the hospital avoiding my damn hotel room."

"Okay." Diane sighed. "I will have dinner with you. But only if you get off my steps and let me get in my house."

"Deal." Douglas said standing up. "Tomorrow. I'm staying at the Westin. 7:30?"

"Sure. Goodnight Douglas."


	7. Chapter 7

"So you pull up and he's just sitting on your steps." Olivia asked parking her car. She frowned when Diane nodded. "That's a nice way to ditch the ballistic guy."

"It's no like I invited him." Diane sighed. "But maybe it's for the best." She took off her seatbelt and leaned back in the seat. "Kurt is Rhiannon's father. Nothing should happen there."

"Hmmm." Olivia nodded. "On one side you have a guy who made you laugh. Lives out of town so he won't be around to constantly annoy you. Is a gentleman. Has a daughter who already like you. Has a dead wife, so she can't nag him." She held up her right hand. "On the other hand, we have your ex fiance, who you broke up with for a reason, who sits on your porch in the middle of the night. Who has an ex wife accusing him of murder." She shook her head. "Tough call."

"You don't even know Kurt. I don't even know him. And it wasn't that long ago you were trying to give me Douglas' number."

"That was when I thought he was just a rich guy looking for a condo. I didn't know he was a borderline stalker."

"He said he wasn't stalking me."

Olivia let out a laugh. "When you have to actually tell someone you're not stalking them, you have a problem. I bet the ballistics guy would never need to tell you he wasn't stalking you."

"And what are you basing that on?"

"Just a hunch." Olivia said tilting her head studying Diane's face. "If Kurt had invited you for dinner would you have dragged me along with you?"

Diane pursed her lips slightly. "No." She sighed.

"And here we are, sitting in a parking lot to gear up for dinner with Dr. Stalker. And I'm tagging along because you're a big chicken."

"I'm not a chicken." Diane said running her hand along her skirt. "At least not because I think he's a stalker. What are you suppose to talk about with someone you haven't seen in thirty years?"

"What you've been up to the last thirty years." Olivia shrugged. "That should get you at least to dessert."

"He's going to want to talk about back then." Diane sighed. "Let's go."

/\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/

"Oh. Olivia." Douglas said not hiding his disappointment. "You came too."

"Yeah. Nothing I love more than talking about college. While I eat steak." Olivia smiled. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Hi." Diane smiled at Douglas, nudging her best friend slightly. "I invited James too, but he had some school thing to do."

"Maybe next time." Douglas said with a forced smile. "Shall we?"

As the trio approached the restaurant, Kurt exited the building, his posture changing when he saw Diane.

"Hello Kurt." Diane smiled.

"Kurt?" Olivia said perking up. She glanced back at Diane nodding her approval. "I'm Olivia. The best friend. It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Your daughter is." She smirked. "A treat."

"Yeah." Kurt laughed. "Nice to meet you." He looked over at Douglas and held out his hand. "Kurt McVeigh."

"Dr. Bates." Douglas smiled, putting hiss arm around Diane, his hand resting on her hip. "We should really get to dinner."

"Of course." Kurt nodded, Douglas' hand not going unnoticed. "Don't let me hold you up."

"I'll meet you inside." Diane said smacking Douglas' hand.

"Come on." Olivia said looping her arm in Douglas' "Tell me how goes the condo search. Tiffany is a sweet girl, but she lacks that good eye."

"Kurt." Diane said sprinting slightly to catch up to him. "He's just an old, uh, friend."

Kurt smiled. "You don't need to explain anything to me."

"Well he was on my front steps last night, And now I'm here. With him. I'm not, I mean we're not. I made him leave. " Diane said wondering why she was suddenly incapable of speaking in complete sentences. "I'm not sure why he was on my steps last night. I mean, I can guess."

"Breakfast." Kurt said and she sighed, grateful he made her stop talking.

"What?"

"Have breakfast with me." Kurt said. He suddenly shook his head. "That sounds like a horrible pick up line. I'm going back to my place tomorrow. And you obviously already have dinner plans."

"Um. Okay. Yes." Diane smiled.

"Okay." Kurt nodded. "I'll pick you up at 10."

"Is everything okay?" Olivia asked as Diane said down next to her.

"Fine." Diane nodded. "I just had to talk to him about a case." She lied looked at the wine in front of her with a frown. "You got red?"

"Told you so." Olivia grinned.

"Oh, you drink white now?"

"It's fine." Diane shrugged. "I drink both."

An awkward silence fell over the table as everyone looked at their menus. "So." Douglas said finally. "Are you still in touch with anyone from school?"

"Not really." Diane said sipping her wine. "Mostly just Olivia. And my brother obviously. What about you?"

"No, no. I moved to Seattle after I graduated. I lost touch with most people. Got married. Had a son. Got divorced. Got prompted and transferred back to Chicago about six years ago." She shrugged and smiled at Diane. "What about you?"

"Me?" Diane said taking a bigger sip of her wine. "I stayed in Chicago. Will and I started our firm about nine years ago."

"And you never got married. Did you come close again?"

"I'm on my fifth husband." Olivia interjected. "I really like him. I think he'll probably be my last one."

"Any kids?" Douglas asked, though his eyes never left Diane.

"Husband number three." Olivia winked. "And number two has a daughter, but she hated me."

**1976**

"I have never been so bored in my entire life." Olivia sighed. "You owe me."

"I do not." Diane laughed. "I've gone on a million dates with you. You owe me."

"But you have fun when you come out with me. I date interesting people. I'm bored. He doesn't like me. He only wants to talk to you, I'm just in the way. Twenty minutes tops . Then I'm leaving. Give me a signal if you want to leave you here."

"What kind of signal?"

"I don't know." Olivia said tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Dessert. If you want me to leave you here get cheesecake. If you order chocolate cake we'll leave together."

"I'm sorry." Douglas said sitting down at the table. "I think that is the first time I've ever seen a line for the men's room. I don't know how you ladies do it." He picked up his menu. "Should we get dessert."

"Sure." Diane smiled looking at Olivia. "I'll have cheesecake."

"Good lord." Olivia said rolling her eyes as Diane shot her an angry look. "I mean, look at the time. I have so much work to do. I better get going. Can you drive Diane him?"

Douglas nodded. "Of course."

**Present Day**

"I'm stuffed." Olivia said pushing away her plate.

"Well you got the biggest steak on the menu." Diane laughed.

"Because I'm not paying." Olivia winked.

"Do you don't want dessert?" Douglas asked picking up a menu.

"Well, I didn't say that."

"Why don't we split some chocolate cake." Diane asked.

"Oh thank god." Olivia sighed leaning back in her chair. She caught the questioning look from Douglas and smiled. "I just mean she's so skinny. I hate when she skips dessert. Such a cliche when the curvy one gets cake."

"Oh." Douglas nodded. "Sure." He looked down at the menu. "They don't have chocolate cake. They have chocolate cheesecake though."

"No!" Olivia and Diane said in unison.

"We had a bad experience with cheesecake once." Diane explained with a slight smile.

"It's probably for the best." Olivia said. "I'm stuffed. I should go home and slip into a food coma."

"She's my ride ohm." Diane shrugged. "I should go too."

"I can drive you home." Douglas said. "Stay, have a drink."

"I have a meeting in the morning. And you're staying here. No point you leaving and coming back."

"Agreed." Olivia smiled standing up. She quickly grabbed her purse and coat. "It was just so lovely catching up." She said grabbing Diane's hand urging her away from the table. "Call me if Tiffany can't find you a place."


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe I pass this place daily and have never been here." Diane said sipping her coffee. "It's very charming."

"The owner used to play for the Bulls years ago. Rhiannon could care less about the memorabilia. I assume you share the sentiment." Kurt said smirking slightly when Diane shrugged. "But the food makes up for the lack of sports interest. When she got to the age when it wasn't cool to hang out with your Dad, I could always scam some time with her by bringing her here."

"I'm sure it wasn't that hard. She talks very fondly of you. It's nice you are so close."

"It's not always easy." Kurt laughed. "She was born with an opinion on everything. Most of them different from mine."

"How does that work?" Diane asked sincerely. "My mother and I were not at all alike. We weren't very close. She got along much better with my brother."

"I don't know." Kurt shrugged. "Maybe it helps it's been just the two of us for so long. We argue, but if we don't find a middle ground we just move to a topic we agree one. She knows I love her even if we disagree."

"Hmm." Diane smiled. "It's nice" She repeated as Steve Nicks' voice started singing "Rhiannon" from his cell phone. "She must know we're talking about her."

"She programmed my phone when she gave it to me." Kurt smiled. "Insisted I was too young to be such an old man and not have one."

"That sounds like her." Diane laughed. "You can answer it, I don't mind."

"She'll just keep calling." Kurt shrugged picking up his phone. "Hey kiddo."

"Hey." Rhiannon said. "What are you doing? Want to go get breakfast in like half and hour? I just need to get dressed."

"I'm already at breakfast." Kurt said smiling at Diane. "I'm a grown up and have breakfast before noon." He added causing Diane to laugh. She bit her lip before whispering an apology.

"I'm an adult. I just like sleeping." Rhiannon said. "But enjoy your grown up breakfast. I'll call you later. Love ya."

"I love you too." Kurt said hanging up the phone. "Does she actually show up on time for work?"

"Yes." Diane laughed. "But we have a fancy coffee machine. I think it helps." She looked down when her phone buzzed.

_ I always get the pancakes. _  
><em> It's not on the menu, but if you <em>  
><em> ask nicely they'll put chocolate chips in them ;) <em>  
><em> She you tomorrow.<em>

Diane shook her head slightly. "I think we've been busted."

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Kurt shrugged. "We had to eat."

Diane grinned. "True."

"I have a few on going cases." Kurt said as he and Diane exited the restaurant. "But I'll get to your friend's case first thing."

"Thank you." Diane nodded. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "So what, you go home now and shoot a bunch of guns."

"It's a little more scientific than that. But yeah I'm going to go shoot  
>some guns." Kurt smiled. "Want to come watch?"<p>

"Watch?" Diane said blushing slightly. She bit the inside of her cheek slightly, wondering when the last time she blushed was. She realized he was waiting for an answer and she was just standing in the middle of the sidewalk blushing. "Sure." She said finally when she couldn't come up with a reason not to.

"If Illinois ever comes under attack I'm coming here." Diane said as she entered Kurt's workshop. "Or running as far away from it as I can. I'm not sure which would be safer."

"I wouldn't be very good at my job if I only had one or two guns." Kurt shrugged. "Have you ever shot one before?"

"Once." Diane said running her finger along the cool metal of a rifle on the wall. "I had a gun. For about a week." She looked back at Kurt. "Long story. I got rid of it though. It, um, it made me uncomfortable."

"You liked it?"

"Yes." Diane nodded, not asking how he knew that. "And I didn't like liking it."

"It's okay to like guns if you know about them and respect them."

"It's not okay for me to like guns." Diane smirked. "Do you know how many anti-gun legislations my father's name is on? No. I can't like guns. He would loose his mind if he say me shooting a gun."

"I hate rhubarb." Kurt said stepper closer to Diane. He smiled when her eyes just widened in response. "My mother used to bake strawberry/rhubarb pies every summer. People went nuts for them. She even won a blue ribbon once. And yet, I hate rhubarb."

"Point taken." She smiled. "But it's not really the same thing." He leaned closer to her and for a moment Diane thought he was going to kiss her. Instead he reached past her and grabbed a .22 off the wall behind her.

"Sure it is." Kurt said said placing the gun in her hand. "It's not loaded. You're fine." Moving behind her he placed his hands over hers, adjusting her grip. "Want some bullets so you can actually shoot it?"

"I don't want to waste them."

"I think I have a few to spare."Kurt smirked. "I tend to buy them in bulk."

"Yeah, I guess you would." Diane laughed. Before she could say anything else Kurt walked past her to a tall cabinet along the wall. Silently, he unlocked the door removing a small box before locking up the cabinet again. He placed the box beside her. Diane looked down and realized they were bullets.

"Hey. Your first lesson." Kurt said placing his hands on Diane's. "Especially if its load, don't stand haphazardly aiming your gun at people. It tends to freak them out. If you're distracted, put them gun down."

Diane nodded before looking down, his hand was still covering hers. She raised her gaze, smiling slightly when their eyes locked. "I'm distracted."

"Then you should put the gun down." Kurt said not breaking their eye lock. He took the gun from her hand and placed it gently on the table. He lowered his gaze to her lips, chuckling slightly to himself before leaning forward and kissing her. If Diane was surprised by the kiss she recovered quickly, returning the kiss. Her hand moving to his chest, the fabric of his shirt bunching between her fingers.

"We shouldn't do this." She whispered breathlessly, suddenly stepping back. She quickly adjusted her shirt and posture. It was a good kiss. Maybe great, if she was being honest. She wanted to keep going , but this was a mistake. It was best to stop now before things got complicated.

"She's a grown up." Kurt said. "I mean it's hard for me not to think she's still the little girl who need help tying her shoes and put training wheels on her bike. But she's 30 years old."

"And I am her boss." Diane said trying to ignore he had yet again read her mind. She couldn't tell if she liked it or found it annoying. She was usually so good at staying guarded , even with people who had known her for years. She barely knew Kurt.

"I don't think sexual harassment is transferable to fathers. But hey, you're the lawyer." Kurt said with a slight smile. "But you're right. It's complicated. She likes her job. I'm not going to interfere with that. And if you think this would interfere." His voice trailed off.

Diane bit down slightly on her lower lip as she stared at Kurt, before slowly nodding. She should leave. She would be able to think clearer if there was distance between them. The drive home would help clear her head. "I should go. I'm sorry."

_**A/N Thanks everyone for reading :) And thanks****NarcissaMinerva & CheridaDobbyn for commenting on every chapter I am happy you are enjoying this!**_


	9. Chapter 9

"Hi." Rhiannon said slowly, a wide grin on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Diane asked looking at her watch. Even in her first months of working at Lockhart/Gardner when people usually try to make a good impression Rhiannon rarely arrived early opting instead to stay late when most people had gone home.

"I work here." Rhiannon said pushing herself off the door frame and entering Diane's office. She sat down and crossed her legs, wide grin still across her face. "So, how was your weekend? In as few details as possible please."

"It was okay. How was yours?"

"Fine." Rhiannon said rolling her eyes. "You can give me a little more details."

"It didn't rain like they said it would. That was nice." Diane said taking off her glasses. She laughed slightly when Rhiannon just glared at her. "Whatever you're thinking happened this weekend, didn't."

"Hmmm." Rhiannon nodded. "But you had breakfast with my Dad. I heard you laughing when I was on the phone with him."

"Yes. I had breakfast with your father. I didn't have the pancakes though. I had a spinach omelette. It was really good."

"Great, start a food blog." Rhiannon sighed. "You just had breakfast?" She furrowed her brow when Diane nodded. "How?"

"What do you mean how?"

"I mean how did that happen? If nothing happened between leaving my place on Friday and breakfast on Sunday. Breakfast with a guy is typically preceded by sex."

"I had dinner at the hotel he was staying at and ran into him. We agreed to have breakfast the next day before he left the city. No sorted story. Just breakfast. Nothing else will ever happen, don't worry."

"Why would I be worried?' Rhiannon asked sitting up. "And what do you mean nothing else will ever happen? Did you not like my Dad? What's wrong with him? He's delightful, I'll have you know. Is it the guns?" She shook her head. "It's the tea-party thing isn't it? I get it. He can really get going sometimes, but you just need to tell him to shut up and he'll reel it in. I do it all the time."

"Calm down." Diane sighed. "There is nothing wrong with your father."

"I know."

"I had a good time with him. We, well, I, just thought it would be best if nothing happened. It would be complicated. For you."

"For me?" Rhiannon said. She laughed as she shook her head. "Nope. Not going to work."

"What are you talking about now?"

"You can't use me as an excuse. My Mom's been gone for 16 years. I know he dates. I'm fine with it. I prefer it. It's depressing to think of him sitting alone out there with just his dog and guns. I like you. I like him. How would I be complicated by two people I like dating or whatevering?" She stood up. "See my Dad again or don't. It's up to you. But you can't use me as an excuse not to. If you don't want to see my Dad, you'll need to come up with something better."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"What are you doing here?"

Rhiannon looked up from her lap top and frowned at Douglas standing in the doorway. "Why do people keep asking me that? I work here."

"I meant here, in Diane's office. I wasn't expecting to see you in here."

"Sorry to disappoint. She's not here." Rhiannon shrugged. "I need her conference table."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. She's my boss, oddly enough she doesn't report to me before leaving the office. Maxie would likely know. She can also take a message. I'm horrible at taking messages. I always right them down and loose them, or forgot about them for like a week."

"You don't like me to do you?"

"I don't know you." Rhiannon shrugged. "This is just how I talk everyone. Don't talk it personally. I am not the hand holder, it doesn't come off as genuine. I'm the sarcastic loud one."

"Explains why you and James get along so well." Douglas said pacing around the office, running his finger along the framed photo of Diane and Hillary. "I'm surprised Diane is okay with it. She was always so adamant her friends not sleep with her brother."

"What?" Rhiannon laughed looking up from her computer. "I'm not sleeping with James. He's the same age as my Dad!" Suddenly the image of Lauren Bates flashed in her mind. Douglas' wife was at least 35 years younger than him. She flashed him a guilty smile. "No offense. I just meant, uh, it doesn't matter, I'm not sleeping with James. When I first started here I worked on a case for him. Now we're friends."

"I'm sorry." Douglas said, his eyes still fixed on Diane's photos. "Do you know when Diane will be back?"

"Nope. I don't even know where she is." Rhiannon said pointing to the desk directly outside the office." Maxie."

"Will you tell her to call me?"

Rhiannon didn't look up from her lap top this time, instead just pointed into the hall again. "Maxie."

\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Hi." Diane said slowly talking off her sunglasses.

"Hello." Kurt smiled leaning against the door frame. "What's up?"

"May I come in?"

"Yeah, or course." Kurt said moving out of the doorway. "Come in." He said as she walked past him. He closed the door and turned to again question her visit, but before he could speak her lips were pressed against his. Rather than fight it, he returned the kiss, his hands moving to her back, pushing her closer to him.

Diane bit her lip slightly as she pulled back, his hands keeping her close. "Hi." She repeated.

Kurt laughed slightly. "Hi." He ran his hand down her back, smiling when he felt her react. "I don't normally protest when beautiful women show up at my door to kiss me, but what's going on? You seemed pretty clear yesterday that this was not a good idea."

"Do women often show up at your door and kiss you?"

He shook his head. "This is a first. I like it though."

Diane smiled, exhaling slowly when she realized she hadn't answered his question. "I couldn't think if another excuse."

"What?"

"Rhiannon said I couldn't use her as an excuse not to see you. So if i didn't want to see you again I had to come up with different excuse. I couldn't think of another one, because I wanted to see you again."

Kurt nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?' Diane smirked. "She said." Before she could continue Kurt put his finger to her lips and shook his head. "What?"

"I don't really want to talk about my daughter right now."

"Right." Diane smiled.

/

Diane tried not to flinch as Kurt shot the Benelli at the target. Her bare legs dangling off the edge of the counter as she watched Kurt work. She bit her lip trying to stop herself from smiling. As much as she told herself she hated guns, she couldn't deny the way her stomach flipped when she watched Kurt hold up the rifle to aim.

Or the way she felt when he smiled at her before entering his notes into his computer. "There is no reception in here." He said when he caught her checking her phone.

"I have three missed messages." Diane shrugged. "I guess people are wondering where I am. I'm playing hokey."

"You'll get reception through there." Kurt said pointing to the door on the back wall. "Go head."

"Sorry." Diane said easing herself off the counter. She walked through the door and looked at her phone watching as the bars increased. Just as she connected her phone rang. Sighing Diane answered, not looking at the call display. "Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"Um, what do you mean?" Diane asked feeling her cheeks redden. Blushing has become an unwanted habit lately. She would need to rectify that.

Rhiannon sighed loudly. "I mean what is you physical location at this exact moment. It's not Lockhart/Gardner. At least not boardroom B. I know because everyone else is here for the Van-Pen depo."

"That's not till 1."

"Yep. It's 1:07."

"What? No." Diane said glancing at her bare wrist. "Start without me. I'll be there as soon as I can. All my notes are on my desk. Maxie can show you."

"Um, okay." Rhiannon said. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine. I had an appointment, it ran longer than I realized." Diane said shaking her head when Kurt entered the room. "But you'll be fine without me."

"Okay. I've got this. I'll see you when I see you, I guess."

"Thank you." Diane said disconnecting the call. She looked up at Kurt and shook her head. "You just got me in trouble with your daughter. You had me so distracted I forgot i have a job. I should have been at a deposition twenty minutes ago. I've never been late for court in my life."

"I take that as a compliment."

"Shut up." Diane laughed. "I have a to go. Where are my clothes?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Why is it so hot in here?" Diane asked fanning herself with an empty file folder. "It's like a sauna."

"Yeah. I reported it to maintenance." Will shrugged. "They should be here within the hour." He sat down across from Diane and grinned. "So?"

"So?"

"You missed a deposition this afternoon. You've never missed a meeting the entire time I've known you. Where were you?"

"I was busy." Diane shrugged. "I had an appointment, I didn't realize I was so late. But Rhiannon can handle a deep on her own. It's fine."

"What kind of appointment, is everything okay? You're not sick, are you?"

"Who's sick?" Rhiannon asked walking into the office. She held up a folder. "Notes. I can type them up if you can't read my writing." She put the folder on the desk. "Are you sick? Is that why you were late? What's wrong?"

Diane rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. Relax. I'm not sick, I promise." She eased herself out of her blazer. "I'm over heating in here though."

"Well when you want to tell me what's going on I'll be in my office." Will shrugged as Rhiannon started to choke. "Are you okay?" He asked jumping up.

Rhiannon held her hand up as she continued to cough. "I'm okay." She managed to say as she exhaled slowly trying to catch her breath. "Woo." She shook her head. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." Rhiannon nodded. "Just, you know exhaled wrong. I'm fine."

"Okay," Will said looking over at Diane, who just shrugged. "Get a drink."

"Yep." Rhiannon said watching as Will walked back to his office. As soon as he was out of earshot she turned back towards Diane. "You're not my boss for the next ten minutes okay?"

"Um, sure?"

"This is a question I never thought I'd ever ask." Rhiannon sighed running her hand through her curls. "Is the reason you missed the deposition because you were with my father?" She held up her hand. "And before you answer, I only ask because you're wearing his shirt." She smiled slightly. "I gave it to him for his birthday." She rested her cheek on her palm. "And now it's her sex shirt."

"Dial it back please." Diane sighed.

"You had sex with my Dad." Rhiannon said shaking her head. "Right after you said never would. I give you the okay you rushed over to his place." She looked at Diane and her eyes widened. "Oh my god. Are you going to get married? Are you going to be my new mom?"

"Dear lord." Diane sighed. "Your ten minutes are up. I'm your boss again. Go back to work."

"Okay." Rhiannon laughed. "They better fix the heat before someone notices you're wearing a man's shirt. With a guns on the cuff." She winked as Diane looked down at her wrists blushing slightly. "My backseat is covered with clothes if you need something to wear."

Trying not to think about her father's sex life, Rhiannon looked at the timeline on her computer of the events around Erik Thompson's death. She went through her files and re-read the police report.

1976

"They arrested Douglas." James said walking into Diane's apartment. "They pulled him right out of a seminar. Everyone thinks he killed Erik."

"What?" Diane said. "They can't possibly believe that."

"Are you kidding? People around here believe everything." Olivia said. "Remember when that girl said her Dad was in the CIA and everyone tried to get a meeting with Ford to fight for some cause. People are idiots they'll believe anything you tell them."

"But the police? Did they arrest him or just bring him in for questioning?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there. Med students don't have a lot of overlapping classes in English Lit." James said. "I just heard the police came and grabbed him out of class. Everyone on campus is talking about it. I'm sure in an hour there will be two different rallies going on. 'Free Bates' on one site of the quad, and 'Fry Bates' on the other. You know this place."

"I should go to the police station." Diane sighed.

"Yeah." Olivia nodded. "He totally needs your help, a law student, over the gaggle of expensive lawyers Daddy Bates has hired."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"What do you even care?" Olivia asked. "You've been ignoring him all week."

"But I don't think he could kill anyone." She frowned and looked back at her brother. "Do you two?"

James looked over at Olivia who shrugged. "No." He sighed. "Not murder, not by shooting someone. Maybe some dorky evil science thing."

"Botched surgery." Olivia laughed.

"Boring someone to death."

"Dear lord." Diane sighed.

"What?" Olivia asked putting her hand on hip. "Until 5 minutes ago you would have joined me in making fun of Douglas. Just because you have some weird felon fetish doesn't mean I can't still joke around."

"I don't have a felon fetish." Diane sighed grabbing her purse. "And I'm sorry I'm not in the mood to joke about my friend's death."

/

"So you were in the library all night?" Detective Gale Evans asked. He looked down at his notes briefly before looking up at Douglas with a smile. Not to fall into the cliche of good cop/bad cop, but Evans always found being polite worked best when questioning people. Build a rapport, and just sit back and wait for people to slip.

"Yes." Douglas nodded. "I probably got home around 4am." He stretched his leg out slowly trying to stop it from shaking.

"Did anyone see you there?"

"I was alone. I like to study alone. And my grandparents were both asleep when I got home. But I'm sure someone saw me. Oh!" Douglas smiled. "Lou. I think that's his name. The security guard with the limp. He must have seen me."

"Lou, with the limp." Evans nodded. "Okay. And you stayed at the library the whole time, you never left? No break for food, maybe some fresh air?"

"There is a coffee shop next door. I went there, but not for long. I was learning about a new technique in by-pass surgery. A new way to find healthy veins in your legs. It's really fascinating."

"Right." Evans nodded. He looked across the table and just watched Douglas for a moment. Was this guy trying to distract him, or was he just a big science nerd who liked to ramble about medical techniques?

"Let's move on to the other night." Evans said finally. "Several people witnessed you arguing with the victim. Would you like to tell me about that night?"

"I was angry." Douglas sighed. "It was a an idle threat, just with unfortunate timing."

"Why were you so angry?"

Douglas smirked slightly. "A girl of course. I didn't like seeing him hanging around my girlfriend. I told him to stay away from her."

"Your girlfriend." Evans said scamming his notes. "Diane Lockhart?"

"Yes."

"Is she still your girlfriend?"

Douglas smiled. "Of course."

"Even though several people heard her tell you she never wanted see you again before leaving the party with the victim, not you?"

"Look." Douglas said exhaling slowly. "I had been drinking. I said somethings I didn't mean. I was angry. Diane was angry. We had an argument. We said things we didn't mean. We're not the only ones to have done that."

"That may be true Mr Bates." Evans said leaning back in his chair resting his hands on his stomach. "But unlike most people, you have the unfortunate circumstances of threatening a man who is now dead. And if this, Lou with a limp didn't see you at the library you have a pretty weak alibi."

"Are you charging me with murder?"

"No. But I've got to say Mr Bates, you are a person of interest in this case. I'd really appreciate it if you stayed in town."

"Finals are coming up. I'll be here."

/

Evans watched as Douglas walked out the interrogation room and stopped short when the tall blonde stood up and give him small wave. "Who is that?" He asked sitting down across from his partner. "The one waiting for Bates?"

"Diane Lockhart. Her dad's the lawyer. Came by to make sure Bates knew his rights. Seems she thinks she's a big fancy lawyer too."

"Huh. Guess he was telling the truth when he said they were still dating." Evans said running his hand through his thinning hair as he watched the coupe leave the prescient.

"You like him for this?"

"I don't know. He wouldn't be the first rich kid with a temper. But he was rambling away about heart surgery. Comes off as too big a nerd."

/

"So they called you a person of interest?" Diane asked following Douglas as he stepped out onto the side walk, slipping her sunglasses on. "But nothing about charging you?"

"I didn't do it." Douglas said stopping and turning to face Diane. "You know me Diane. I wouldn't hurt anyone. I want to dedicate my life to helping people. I was drunk and acted like an idiot. That's all."

"You were an idiot." Diane said looking at Douglas for a moment before exhaling slowly as she nodded slowly. "And I know."

"He asked if we were still dating." Douglas said shoving his hands in his pockets. "I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I don't know, maybe if they saw you were standing by me it would help.

"Hmm." Diane nodded. "It probably would."

"What does that mean?'

"It means, I don't know what it means." Diane sighed. Her gaze hidden she looked in his eyes. He looked scared. She knew him, he wasn't a murderer. She always considered herself to be a good judge of character. She cared for him. Probably loved him. She wouldn't be able to love someone who could take a life. She straightened her posture. "It means, I am mad at you. The things you said were so off mark. You don't get to tell me who I can and can't spend time with. But it means, I don't think you killed Erik. So, if showing a united front will help you, I'll help you. But if you ever act like that again."

"I won't."

"Hmm." Diane nodded as she started walking down the sidewalk. "We'll see."


	11. Chapter 11

Rhiannon stepped out of the copy room and smiled when she say her father leaning against the wall. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"Hey." Kurt smiled holding up a file folder. "I finished looking into your case. Thought I'd drop it off for you. See where you work."

"Take your father to work day." Rhiannon grinned pointing down the hall. "My office is down there. Come on. It might not seem like much, but my first office only had room for an extra chair. But now I have a whole couch."

"Impressive couch." Kurt chuckled.

"Yeah, I like it. And!" She said tapping her door. "My name is on the door." She entered her office and said down. "This is the point when you're suppose to tell me how proud you are and you've always believed in me. Then we cry and hug."

"Can I do the first part and skip the last part?" Kurt asked entering the office and sitting down across from his daughter.

"It's okay, it's implied." Rhiannon grinned. "Does that folder show the gun that killed Erik Thompson was used in about 30 robberies?"

"No." Kurt sighed sliding the folder across the desk. "The bullet was odd. Took me a while to place it. It was antique. A collectors item really. The victim was shot at very close range. It's the only way they would have done any damage."

Rhiannon bit her lip slightly to stop from swearing. Even if she was an adult sitting in her own office, she knew she could still get a lecture from her father. She didn't have time for that. "Any chance the collector of the gun is a known serial killer?"

"I'm still trying to locate the actual gun. There aren't many of them, shouldn't take much longer to find one on the area. Assuming it wasn't dumped after the murder. It's expensive though. If it was dumped someone probably reported it stolen to the insurance money"

"That could help. Maybe spin that the robber stole the gun and used it to kill Thompson when he robbed him. The other robberies were nonviolent because the gun hadn't been stolen yet. I like it."

"Assuming the gun was reported stolen before the murder."

"Well yeah. I'm trying to see the glass half full." Rhiannon sighed as Kalinda appeared in her doorway. She raised her hand and waved the investigator in. "Dad this is Kalinda. She works here, she's the office PI. Kalinda, this is my Dad. He is currently an unhelpful ballistics expect." She leaned back in her chair and frowned.

"Other people call me Kurt."

"Nice to meet you." Kalinda smiled. She turned to Rhiannon. "We better get going if we're going to talk to Evans."

"Okay." Rhiannon said retrieving her purse from her bottom drawer. "We're going to visit a man who is about 104 at his nursing home. I'll check it out and if it seems nice I'll add it to the list." Kurt remained silent, but shook his head slightly, cause Kalinda to chuckle slightly under her breath.

"If you go down the hall and turn right, away from the elevators, you'll find Diane's office. It's big, lots of red. It's nice." Rhiannon grinned. "You know in case you were wondering. Wink, wink."

"Go see your old man."

"You'll always be my #1 old man pops." Rhiannon smiled patting Kurt on the shoulder. "See ya later."

"Your father is seeing Diane?" Kalinda asked once Rhiannon caught up to her.

"Yeah. It's pretty new. Oh my god, are we gossiping?"

"No. I don't gossip."

"Right. Good talk." Rhiannon nodded as the elevator opened. "Hey." She smiled as Will stepped out. "We're going to see the cop that questioned Bates. Hopefully we make it before he dies of old age."

"How old is he?"

"91." Kalinda said. "But according to the nurses he's still early sharp and will probably remember something."

"Worth a shot." Will shrugged. "Good luck."

"My Dad was a big bust on the gun." Rhiannon said. "It's an antique, linked to no other crimes. He's checking with collectors to see if we can find the owner." She frowned slightly. "Because the gun was so old he said it would have had to be shot at close range. It's the only way it could have done any damage. Kinda goes against the killer being a stranger."

"Let's build the defines before you poke holes in it." Will sighed. "Go talk to your cop, maybe we'll get lucky."

/

"Hello." Kurt said knocking on Diane's door.

"Hello." Diane said taking off her glasses. "Come in. Please." She smiled trying to control the giddiness she suddenly felt. She was far too old to have this reaction to a man standing in her doorway.

"I was just bring Rhiannon my finds on your friend's case." Kurt said sitting down, "Thought I'd stop by and say hi."

"Hi." Diane smiled. "Did you find anything helpful?"

"Not really."

"Oh." Diane frowned. She did not want to talk about Douglas. Not with Kurt anyway. She caught him look past her and glanced over her shoulder. She smiled. "Hillary?"

"No." Kurt smirked. "I was looking at the dog."

Right. His name is Justice."

"Fitting."

"Hmm." Diane hummed pushing a lock of hair behind her eye. She looked at Kurt and titled her head slightly. "Have you always been this quiet? Or did Rhiannon make you this way because she's always talking?"

"I'm a good Kurt shrugged. "I just tent to be around people who half a lot to say."

Diane narrowed her eyes and laughed. "Is that your way of saying I talk a lot too?"

"Want to have dinner tonight?" Kurt asked leaning back in his chair.

"I won't be able to get out of here until at least eight."

Kurt shrugged. "That's fine."

"Okay then." Diane smiled. "Yes. I would."

"Sorry." Will said appearing in the doorway. "We have to get to that thing."

"Okay." Diane nodded. "This is Kurt McVeigh. Kurt, this is my partner Will Gardner."

"Nice to meet you finally." Will said. "Rhiannon just filled me in on your results for our case. I'd be lying if I said they were helpful."

"Sorry about that." Kurt said standing up. "I'm sure you'll be able to twist it around to suit your case." He turned back to Diane and nodded. "I'll see you later."

/

"So what's the game plan?" Rhiannon asked as she and Kalinda walked towards the entrance of Bella Nursing Home. "Pretend we're here to to see Nona and strike up a conversation with Evans?"

"Or, we could tell the truth."

"Yeah sure." Rhiannon shrugged. "That would work too."

"I don't think anyone would believe we have the same grandmother." Kalinda said, as Rhiannon's auburn hair blew up in the wind, helping prove her point.

"Racists." Rhiannon sighed holding open the door.

"Why don't you let me talk." Kalinda whispered before smiling at the receptionist. "Hello, I'm Kalinda Sharma. We spoke earlier about Detective Evans."

"Yes." The young girl smiled . "He's been waiting for you. He loves to talk about old cases. He doesn't get many visitors so this is a real treat for him."

"That's so sad." Rhiannon sighed. "I should go visit my Grandma more. But she has so many cats I can never breathe. And she always tries to tech me to knit." She stopped when she realized both Kalinda and the receptionist were staring at her. "Sorry. Where's Detective Evans?"

/

"Is Rhiannon's father helping you on a case as well?" Will asked as he watched the numbers change on the elevator, avoiding what he knew was a glare from Diane.

"His name is Kurt and we both know he's not. So why don't you just say what you want to say."

"Does Rhiannon know you have a thing for her Dad?" Will asked as the elevator opened.

"I do not have things for people." Diane sighed stepping out into the hallway. "But yes, she knows and she's fine with it."

"She a really good lawyer. A few years away from being a great one."

"Yes." Diane sighed. "Can you please speed this up and make the point you want to make."

"I don't have a point per-say. Just thinking about things you've said to me in the past. That's all." Will stopped and turned to face Diane. "I want the best for you. You know that. And you deserve to be happy. But you have always been so careful at keeping your private life separate from the firm."

"And I would love to keep doing that."

"Rhiannon is a good lawyer. A good lawyer who is very close with her father."

"I appreciate what you are getting at. I know what I am doing. I am not a teenager. I know how to have an adult relationship."

"I know you do, but does Rhiannon?" Will sighed when Diane just rolled her eyes. "Okay okay, let's get this meeting over with."

/

"Do you remember a murder in the late 70s." Kalinda asked. "A man named Erik Thompson. He was shot."

"The college kid in the woods." Evans nodded. "I've been thinking about it since I heard you were coming ."

"Right. " Kalinda smiled. "It was decided it was a robbery gone bad. But you questioned another student. Douglas Bates."

"The doctor. Yeah. There was something off about him. Can't say I pegged him as a criminal, but there was something off."

"So you agree, it was a robbery gone bad?" Kalinda pressed.

"I don't know. It fit more than anything else at the time. A few people had been hit in the area. No violence though. Bates had an alibi. A shaky one, but an alibi."

"He was at the library." Rhiannon said. "There was a witness wasn't there?"

"An employee said Bates was always there. But if you see someone in the same place every day six days a week are you going to remember what day it was you didn't see him?"

"No." Rhiannon said shaking her head. "Probably not."

"So it was just the alibi that made you stop looking at Bates?"

"And the lack of any other proof. Can't go and arrest every guy who gets angry and says he'll kill someone. And there was his girlfriend. I don't remember her name. She was tall, pretty."

"Diane Lockhart." Kalinda said.

"Yeah. She backed Bates. From what I remember she has a thing with the vic too. But she stood by Bates. She was a nice girl. Smart. She helped him a lot."

Rhiannon looked over at Kalinda and frowned. She looked back at Evans and decided to bring up the main factor that has been nagging at her the entire case. "Detective, in your experience do you find people confess to things they didn't do when they are drunk?"

"Drink people will confess to anything. Killing JFK, stealing the Limburger baby.

"What about a friend they had been accused of killing almost 40 years ago?"

"No." Evans said shaking his head. "i don't think many people would do that." 


End file.
